Douglas County PUD opens 2026 budget hearings, reviews Eastmont Substation upgrades

EAST WENATCHEE — Douglas County PUD commissioners Molly Simpson, Aaron Viebrock, and Ronald Skagen opened formal hearings for the utility’s 2026 budgets during their Oct. 7 meeting at District headquarters in East Wenatchee.

The hearing covers the PUD’s three major systems — Electric Distribution, Hydrogen Operations, and the Wells Hydroelectric Project — and will remain open for public comment through Dec. 2, 2025.

Commissioners also reviewed bid results for 115-kilovolt breakers slated for installation at the Eastmont Substation, a key transmission and distribution node serving the Wenatchee Valley’s growing electrical load. The equipment will modernize switching capacity and improve reliability across the PUD’s network, which supports both residential and commercial customers in East Wenatchee and southern Douglas County. Staff are evaluating the bids and will return with a contract recommendation in a future meeting.

Other actions included:

• Approving a land-use permit allowing Keith Johnson continued use of project property for a dock, irrigation pump, and fencing.
  
  
• Renewing fiduciary liability insurance with AIG and directors-and-officers/employment practices coverage with AEGIS.
  
  
• Declaring a Yamaha 550 Grizzly ATV surplus for trade-in under the District’s replacement policy.
  
  
• Signing a pole-attachment license agreement with the City of Rock Island, allowing the municipality to mount security cameras on PUD-owned poles.
  
  
• Approving sale of 0.13 acres of surplus property near the Terry Substation to adjacent landowners Bernabe and Ana Guzman for the parcel’s assessed value of $1,300.
  
  

The Eastmont Substation work ties into the PUD’s ongoing system-wide upgrades to accommodate data-center growth, electric-vehicle infrastructure, and future clean-power demands under its Hydrogen and Wells Project portfolios.

The next commission meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the East Wenatchee office.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media